VIDEO: Why Does a Coffee’s Origin Matter?

In specialty coffee, we love to talk about a coffee’s “origin” – the place where it was grown and processed. We revere the single origin, the micro lot, and even the nano lot coffee. But why is it so important? Find out in today’s curated video article.

How Does “Origin” Affect Flavour?

Coffee is an agricultural product, which means that you cannot understand why it tastes the way it does until you consider the conditions in which it was grown. The altitude and latitude affect the sweetness, the region determines which varietals are most common, and the soil and rainfall affect how well the coffee grows. The climate, the terrain, and access to resources can lead producers to choose certain production and processing methods.

So let’s look at how origin affects the flavour profile with a few examples.

What Does Coffee From Different Regions Taste Like?

In this 140-second video from Seattle Coffee Tales, Alberto Interiano looks at some of the most common coffee-producing regions and what flavours you might expect.

It’s worth noting that there are many more coffee origins than he mentions, from China to South America. What’s more, you’ll find a great variety of flavour profiles within any single country depending on altitude, microclimate, and more.

Origin in Detail: Comparing Colombia & Tanzania

The Genuine Origin Coffee Project decided to put several different coffee-producing regions under the microscope (er, refractomer?), looking at how coffee is produced there, what processing methods are common, and more.

Take this video, which while an ad is a highly informative introduction to three regions within Colombia and their growing conditions. From steep hill-sides to biodiversity, all affect the final flavour profile.

Perfect Daily Grind is not affiliated with any of the individuals or bodies mentioned in this article, and cannot directly endorse them. What’s more, Perfect Daily Grind does not own the rights to these videos and cannot be held accountable for their content.

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